ALLENTOWN - A year ago, the Northwestern girls basketball team rode its momentum to an undefeated run in the Stellar "Catch A Rising Star" Basketball Showcase to capture the championship.

Unfortunately, the scene was vastly different this time around at the annual basketball tournament at Cedar Beach.As the only girls team from the Times News area, the Lady Tigers went 0-2 in the tournament with losses to Dieruff on Friday and Bethlehem Catholic on Saturday."I was very disappointed in this game," head coach Chris Deutsch said following the Lady Tigers' 24-15 loss to Dieruff. "I didn't think we played well at all. I didn't think we had a sense of urgency."It just didn't seem we were ready to play today. I don't know what it was. Maybe it was that we hadn't played together. I think some of the younger girls were a little nervous going into the environment and atmosphere that this is."Despite an unexpected bow out early after not losing a game last year, Deutsch's main emphasis is getting this group to play together.The Lady Tigers - who don't play in a summer league - have had no court time together as a complete unit. One of the team's top players from last season in Sarah Segan was absent in the tournament as well."Trying to get everyone to play together is a goal because we haven't had the whole team together one time all summer," Deutsch said. "It's just going to take some time right now. We are way behind. I knew coming into this that we're a little behind the eight ball right now."Boyertown's A team downed Parkland in overtime of the girls championship game, 23-22.Four Times News area boys teams had the opportunity to face quality competition throughout the tournament as well.But like the Lady Tigers, their runs were short-lived.Lehighton won their first game over Northwestern on Thursday before dropping losses to Wilson West Lawn and Freedom in the following days. Palmerton picked up a win over Brandywine Heights in the first round of the loser's bracket, sandwiched in between losses to Hazleton and Allentown Central Catholic. Northwestern and Pleasant Valley both went 0-2."We played very nervously," Lehighton head coach Rich Oertner said following their 48-28 win over Northwestern. "We didn't run anything in the first half. We were just passing the ball and trying to score to be done. We finally ran a couple offenses and got some good shots."Oertner's team, who plays in the summer league in Panther Valley, has yet to play on outdoor courts during the summer. So, the Stellar tournament exposed the Indians to unfamiliar elements and competition, both which can be used to build on for the winter season."We need to play more as a group," Oertner said. "It was Tanner Zwetolitz's first game, and he ran the point for us. He was a JV player last year, and we kind of forced him into the point."The team's two leadersTyler Crum and Jordan Knappenberger are vital in how far this team goes. Still, Oertner understands the learning curve that lies ahead for his Indians.In their 40-26 loss to Freedom, Knappenberger (9) and Crum (8) combined for 17 of the team's 26 points. After getting to within four points in the second half at 29-25, Freedom closed out the game on an 11-1 run."Some of the guys need a little bit of confidence," Oertner said. "Some of the guys need better listening skills, and trying to work more as a team. Some of the guys do a little bit too much individually, and some do the right thing."Parkland coasted its way to a Stellar title after defeating Cedar Crest in the boys' championship game, 51-34.